Chapter 7: Darkness and Light

With his left sword piercing the fat Mist Ninja's chest and his right sword stabbing the tall, thin Mist Ninja in the heart, Kimimaro stood before them, his bone swords gleaming eerily.

The two ninjas looked at him in disbelief, unable to fathom how he managed to cut through the water column so swiftly or why the strike was so fast.

**Starburst Stream Slash!**

One slash faster than the last, enhanced by Water Body Flicker, making it too quick for them to react.

Kimimaro panted slightly; his consecutive strikes had pushed his speed to its limit, leaving him momentarily drained. Sixteen hits in a row took a toll on his stamina. If not for his Kaguya clan's terrifying body and the Shikotsumyaku (Dead Bone Pulse), Kimimaro, new to this world, wouldn't have been able to execute the Starburst Stream Slash.

"Damn you! Let's go to hell together!" The fat ninja, using his last strength, drew a long sword from his body and aimed to slice the frail young boy in front of him in half.

Kimimaro's eyes narrowed. Exhausted, he couldn't dodge.

The fat ninja's eyes gleamed with a final spark of madness.

**Clang!**

The sword hit—but it didn't strike Kimimaro's body. Instead, it clashed against his bones. Two ribs extended from his body, blocking the attack.

**Bone Lock!**

Though his body was spent, the power of his bloodline remained strong. The strength of the Shikotsumyaku emerged, stopping the fat ninja's deadly strike.

The fat ninja's eyes widened, his last-ditch effort having failed miserably. The Kaguya clan's bone defense was far too formidable.

In despair, he closed his eyes for the last time. Lifeless.

Kimimaro withdrew his bone sword and sighed in relief. Without hesitation, he used his restored energy to move his legs and immediately fled the scene. The entire battle, though seemingly long, lasted less than ten seconds. Kimimaro had to escape before the other Mist Ninjas realized what had happened. Otherwise, his earlier planning would be for nothing. His strength was waning, but he still had enough to run.

He quickly escaped the mist concealment jutsu and sprinted into the distance. Meanwhile, Mei Terumi defeated the Kaguya clan leader.

"Kaguya Bone... Why must it end this way?" Mei Terumi sighed as she looked at the severely injured clan leader, who, despite being unable to fight back, still stubbornly stood.

"Hahaha! Mei Terumi, you'll never understand the difference between living with pride and living on your knees! Go ahead and serve as Yagura's lapdog! But my Kaguya clan will never bow down! Hahaha!"

Though his body was battered, the Kaguya clan leader's wild laughter echoed across the battlefield.

Mei Terumi felt a deep unease. His words stirred her emotions.

Kaguya Bone extended his right hand, summoning a white bone blade.

Mei Terumi frowned. "Are you still going to resist? Give up. Come with me to see the Mizukage, and maybe there will still be a chance for you."

"Heh, my entire clan fought back with everything we had. We never thought we'd actually destroy the Mist Village, and we never expected to survive. The gap between the strength of one clan and one village is something I'm well aware of. All I wanted was to make a statement! I want the entire Mist Village, the entire shinobi world, to know that the Kaguya clan would rather die than be humiliated! Today, though I die, I will die a proud warrior—not Yagura's dog!

Mei Terumi, you are not worthy of killing me! And neither is Yagura! I will spill my last drop of blood where my ancestors fought bravely!" 

With a shout, Kaguya Bone thrust his bone blade towards his own throat.

"No!" Mei Terumi screamed, rushing to stop him, but it was too late.

Blood splattered, staining the earth red. Mei Terumi arrived just in time for the hot blood to splash onto her face. Kaguya Bone grinned grotesquely, opening his mouth as if to say something. But his throat was pierced, and no sound came out.

Yet Mei Terumi understood his words by reading his lips: "My hot blood could never melt the ice of the Mist."

Though their blood was still hot, the hearts of the Kaguya clan had grown cold. 

This was likely the current state of the Kaguya clan.

Mei Terumi's outstretched hand froze mid-air. Kaguya Bone's life had ended, but his body didn't fall. He stood tall, like a warrior to the very end.

Mei Terumi was deeply shaken. At just twenty years old, witnessing such a scene left her deeply moved. The Kaguya clan, with their blood, had shown Mei Terumi and the Mist Village one thing:

It wasn't difficult to kill the Kaguya clan. 

But to make them submit? Impossible.

"Kaguya clan... I will remember this," Mei Terumi whispered, her shock lingering.

By now, all the Kaguya clan members lay dead, their corpses cold and still.

"Lady Mei Terumi, a Kaguya boy escaped during the battle. I'll gather a team to pursue him. Though he disappeared from my Byakugan's sight a minute ago, he's only a boy and shouldn't have gotten far. There's still a chance to catch him," said Ao, his right eye glowing blue.

The **Byakugan**, with its far-seeing and x-ray capabilities, could even track Kimimaro through the mist. This Byakugan was the only one to have ever left the Hyuga clan.

Mei Terumi frowned but stopped Ao. "Let him go."

"Lady Mei Terumi, but…"

Ao was startled.

"The Kaguya clan may have made mistakes, but they don't deserve to be exterminated. After all, when the Mist Village was first established, the Kaguya clan made great contributions. I don't know what the Fourth Mizukage is thinking, but wiping out the bloodline clans is a decision the Mist Village will regret in the future. This Kaguya boy managed to escape our blockade, so let him be. Let the Kaguya clan's bloodline survive in some form."

"But if the Mizukage punishes us for this..."

"I will take full responsibility!" Mei Terumi declared firmly.

As someone from a bloodline clan herself, she couldn't bear to see the Kaguya clan annihilated. It would be like seeing her own clan's future.

Seeing Mei Terumi's determination, Ao didn't press further. He had no desire to wipe them out, either.

Mei Terumi looked at the surrounding corpses, her resolve hardening. 

"We can't let the Fourth Mizukage continue like this. If we do, the Mist Village will be doomed."

Clenching her fist, she glanced at the fallen Kaguya clan members, feeling a deep sorrow.

They were all from the same village—why did it have to come to this? If this continued, could the Mist Village remain one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages?

...

Kimimaro ran as fast as he could, unaware that his clan had been completely wiped out. He only wanted to escape.

"Faster! I need to go faster!"

Kimimaro ran tirelessly, not knowing how long he'd been running.

All he knew was that he was running towards the light.

The darkness slowly dissipated, and a ray of light suddenly appeared.

It was… the sunrise!

A red sun rose from the horizon, gradually banishing the night.

As sunlight bathed Kimimaro, he completely broke free from the darkness and stepped into the light.